Evolutionary Biology Workshop in the Alps - CLOSED (2015)

19-25 June 2015

Prof. Tadeusz Kawecki, University of Lausanne (CH)
Prof. John Pannell, University of Lausanne (CH)

Prof. Judith Mank, University College London (UK)
Prof. Andrew Read, Pennsylvania State University (US)
Prof. Tanja Schwander, University of Lausanne (CH)
Prof. Tadeusz Kawecki, University of Lausanne (CH)
Prof. John Pannell, University of Lausanne (CH)

The Concept:

This workshop, based on a concept developed by Steve Stearns and John Maynard Smith, takes place in hotel Kurhaus at the mountain village of Arolla in Swiss Alps", which will allow you to focus while being able to enjoy the landscape and the Alpine flora.

The main goals of this course are to develop the following skills:
• developing your scientific ideas through discussions in groups
• thinking critically and expressing oneself clearly • turning a general idea into a research project
• writing a grant proposal and defending it
• doing it all in English It is you, the students, who will be in charge in this course.

You will be divided in groups of 4-5 students. In those groups, you will work on your ideas. You, as a group, will decide what the important questions in broadly defined evolutionary biology are, you will choose one, and attempt to develop a research proposal that will address it. The faculty will visit the groups during the discussions to answer your questions, provide coaching and give you feedback on your projects, but they will generally take the back seat. Additionally, the faculty will give informal talks about their research and be available for informal discussion with individual students. At the end you will present your projects to other participants, we will have a party and go home.

Language: English
Target participants: advanced Master students and PhD students.
A number of places are reserved for students from outside Switzerland.
Prerequisites: Background knowledge and interest in evolutionary biology.

Riederalp

Map

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Location

The Pro Natura Center is located in Villa Cassel in the canton of Valais amid the magnificent mountain landscape surrounding the protected areas of the Aletsch Forest and the Great Aletsch Glacier. It is also your gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch.   Contact Caroline Betto-Colliard
Coordinator of the Inter-University
Doctoral Program in Ecology and Evolution
Biophore building
University of Lausanne
Tel: +41 (0)21 692 4244
Fax: +41 (0)21 692 4165
E-mail: ecologie-evolution(at)cuso.ch For scientific information: Tadeusz J. Kawecki
Associate Professor
Department of Ecology and Evolution
University of Lausanne
Biophore Building
E-mail: tadeusz.kawecki(at)unil.ch

PhD students of the DPEE can attend for free and are eligible for reimbursement of travel expenses by train (half-fare card, and 2nd class). Please send the original tickets (no copies, except for the general abonnement) with the reimbursement form to Caroline Betto-Colliard Master BEC students (UNIL - Switzerland): CHF 100 External students will pay the costs of their room and board, approximately CHF 530

Registration:
Send a single file (pdf or rtf) containing a short motivation letter, a cv and the name of your scientific advisor to ecologie-evolution(at)cuso(dot)ch. Deadline:
February 15, 2015 for CUSO DPEE students.
February 20, 2015 for external students.

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